NFL antitrust hearings being pushed by Higgins

[Michael82]

Touching the nerve center of the National Football League's finances, Rep. Brian Higgins is asking Congress for hearings into whether the NFL's new agreement with the players union violates laws against monopolies.

The Buffalo Democrat's letter to the chairman of the House Government Reform Committee mirrors some of the financial problems Buffalo Bills owner Ralph C. Wilson Jr. recently cited.

Wilson, however, did not go near the hot-button word "antitrust" in his news conferences and interviews.

Higgins did.

Higgins said he fears the collective bargaining agreement with the NFL Players Association, a labor union, could have the "intended effects" of undermining competition among franchises and harming consumers by forcing small-market teams to raise ticket prices or move.
http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20060416/1072767.asp

[ICE74129]

I'll believe it when I see it. Personally nothing would please me more than to see every owner, including wilson, drug in front of a congressional hearing on this issue.

Gene Upshaw must be crapping his pants. Should this go before a congressional commission, the CBA and all he worked for may be ripped to shreads.

Hey, some advice for Gene, Jerry Jones, Snyder, Kraft and a few others...Destroy your hard drives and make sure all emails were deleted before hand. :-)

[Ebenezer]

Political grandstanding.

[DraftBoy]

Hypothetical;

This gets a hearing....is this really good for the NFL as a whole?

[ddaryl]

He's got vaild arguments.

If you ask me the larger markets devised a plan to squeeze out the small markets.

It's classic monopoly, price controlling tactics, and the complaints being made have merit.

[Historian]

And while they're at it they can throw out the blackout rule too, lol.

[Buckets]

Hypothetical;

This gets a hearing....is this really good for the NFL as a whole?

For the large market owners and the over paid players, no.

I don't think it would affect the game any, I can't see prima-donas in this league saying they wouldn't play if they had to take 20 mil a year instead of 30. What else are they going to do for a living?

It's the large market owners and greedy players who are not good for the NFL as a whole.

[ICE74129]

For Draftboy, yeah it could be bad. Who knows what they will find? Again I would love to see the Feds go in and grab some PC's/ Laptops and look at some emails. You can't tell me there hasn't been talks between Upshaw and the upper owners to get this deal done.

[Michael82]

And while they're at it they can throw out the blackout rule too, lol.
Good idea! I'm suprised that the government didn't try to get that rule eliminated in the first place.

[Jan Reimers]

This may be sabre rattling, or it may actually become a reality. Either way, it puts a spotlight on the NFL and some of their dirty little deals.

Unlike Major League Baseball, the NFL is not exempt from federal antitrust laws, and some of their practices - including their television contracts - could very well be considered "in restraint of trade."

The league should throw a bone or two to the small market owners - like eliminating the two qualifiers that are most harmful to the Bills and other smaller clubs - to avoid the scrutiny of Congress.

[ICE74129]

LMAO for some reason if a possible congressional hearing becomes more of a reality, I bet all of a sudden the lower end teams start getting more help. Anyone want to bet? :D:

[Michael82]

LMAO for some reason if a possible congressional hearing becomes more of a reality, I bet all of a sudden the lower end teams start getting more help. Anyone want to bet? :D:
I totally agree. That will make the small market politicians "forget" about the Anti-Trust hearings. :D

[ICE74129]

I totally agree. That will make the small market politicians "forget" about the Anti-Trust hearings. :D

It will be amazing how accomodating Snyder, Kraft and Jones are when a commission starts asking for their info, esp emails etc. When the threat of this becomes more real, watch the CBA get ironed out real fast.

[Michael82]

Come on Higgins...keep this up! :pray: